Connector for brooms, brushes, mops, and the like



Feb; 23, 1954 G. G. GREENE, JR

CONNECTOR FOR BROOMS, BRUSHES, MOPS, AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 4, 1949lNVENTO R 6262212 fieazye fireeng g' ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 23, 1954.GONNECTORZJEOR BRQOMS; BRUSHES, YMOPSJAND THELLIKE GlenniGeongmGreenefiJ 12; Warren; Ba. :ennucation'oewber 4, 1949;.sene1.no,,119,5ss

novel and improved connector -of 1 this type and method of forming it-Which- -'en-ables the connector to be firmly fixed to a tubular-handleby a simple operation and -without-='the necessity of employing anyparts inaddition to the connector and-handle.

Heretofore'; connectcrsof this. type have usually beeniconstructed witha tubular socket or sleeve into which. an end of a solid woodenhandlehas been ,inserted and securedi..by.. inserting -a, rivet throughthe-socket andthan'dle. l-More. recently, tubular steel handles havecome into useiant end bfwwhich'nhas been' insertedcinto the tubularsocket. .of. .the connectonandsecured thereto by drilling through thesocket and steel handle and inserting a rivet through=the -drilled holesand securing the rivet. Suclr riveting methods, how- -ever, hayevbeenlaborioustandeegcpensiva'in,ithe assemblingjoperation.

The present invention provides a novel method of and means for securinga tubular handle to a connector and firmly securing these parts togetherin a simple manner which avoids the necessity of a riveting operationand otherwise facilitates the assembling of the handle and connector.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector ispre-formed with a shank having a semi-tubular or segmental cross-sectionand which is inserted into an end of the tubular handle, and a wall ofthe tubular handle is pressed firmly, as in a press, into thesemi-tubular or segmental shank, thereby producing a frictional gripbetween the connector and handle which effectively secures these partstogether, and which presents a neat appearance.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in theaccompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mop orsimilar article and handle connected by a connector constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the improved connector, showing themethod of attaching it to an end of a handle.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical longitudinal section taken through theconnector and the adjacent end of a handle prior to securing of theseparts together.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the connector andhandle secured together.

12 Figure 5 is axiiagrammaticv yiewgshowlneithe shank. oithe connector.andadiacent pdrtion of the; han'dlejn section. onithe-iline 5-2-5 i1i$Eig.;.-3, andthedies of a.pressiorsecuringitheconnctor and handletogether.

TFiguref; 6. is .aldetail ,sectionnon, the; line, 6-+Grin R14,.jshoWing-J the manner .whichfgthe con- .nector and handle..,aresecuredtogtherafter the, press operation.

if'Ei ure '7... is. a perspective viewshowingfthe. com- 'Dletedconnection between jthe..connector2=and haridle.

TI Eigureij 8, is a ieW-inhleszdtion; of. a, .pressiifor .fiecu'ringitheconnector .in lth endbflthehanlile.

Similar partsiare'gdesignatedtbyfithe same-referencernumeralsinjtheseveralifigures.

"1pm; the drawing; l*' designated enerii'l yaJcOnhector, adapted to.beattached to, a, broonnbrush, ma or similar article 2, and. 3 ldesienes ta handleibyu means of ,which such; an article is manipulated bytheuserthereof.

The invention is applicable to,.connectors:.'of Lfdi'iT-ere'nt kinds,"that shown,beingfiin'ithegformtof a clamp comprising abody member"!having a. jaw 5 at one end to receive a rod, wire or other attachingpart on the broom or other article, and a clamping member 6 having a jaw1 which cooperates with the rod, wire or other attaching part of thebroom or other article under the action of a clamping screw 8, theclamping memher being retained in cooperative relation with the bodymember by a tongue 9 which is punched from and struck up from the bodymember and engages in a slot I0 in the clamping member.

The connector, according to the present invention, is provided with ashank l2 which is substantially semi-cylindrical or otherwise ofsegmental form in cross-section and of a radius to fit within andconform substantially with the curvature of the wall of the tubularhandle. In assembling the connector and handle, the shank of theconnector is inserted for the major portion of its length into an end ofthe tubular handle which is composed of steel or other suitable metaltubing, the segmental shank extending around about one-half of the innersurface of the tubular handle, as shown in Fig. 5. The portion of thetubular handle opposite to the shank is then pressed inwardly until thisportion of the handle is pressed firmly into the hollow side of theshank and takes a shape in conformity therewith, substantially as shownin Figs. 4, 6 and 7, thus producing a firm frictional grip between theconnector and handle which efiectively prevents detachment thereof.

The pressing of the portion of the tubular handle opposite to the shankinto th concave side thereof may be performed readily and with facilityin a press having dies of suitable form. as for example is shown inFigs. 5, 6 and 8, the die l5 having a substantially semi-cylindricalcavity 16 therein of a size and shape to receive the lower side of thehandle which contains the shank of the connector, and the die I! havinga rib l8 thereon which is substantially semi-cylindrical in shape withits axis extending obliquely to the direction of motion of this die. Thedie I! is engageable with the portion of the tubular handle which isopposite to the concave side of the shank of the connector therein, andwhen this die is brought down toward the die 15, it presses said portionof the handle into the concave side of the shank, thereby causingopposite walls of the tubular handle to embrace and firmly grip theshank of the connector frictionally between them, the securing of theconnector to the handle being then complete.

The press employed is preferably provided with a presser foot l9 whichis slidable vertically on a head 20 carried by the press ram 2! and isyieldingly pressed downwardly by a compression spring 2 coiled around astem 23 which limits the downward movement of the presser footrelatively to the press head which carries the die H, the lower face ofthe presser foot having a substantially semi-cylindrical cavity thereinto conform with and receive the upper side of the handle in advance ofthe engagement of the die I! with the handle and thereby hold the end ofthe handle in proper position for operation thereon by the die 11, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. A gauge 24 is preferably employedwhich is mounted in fixed position adjacent to the lower die [5 and isshaped to receive the connector and to position it in the adjacent endof the tubular handle in the die 15 preparatory to the pressingoperation.

Since the assembling of the connector and handle requires merelyinsertion of the shank of 4 the connector into an end of the tubularhandle, and securing of the connector and handle together requiresmerely a simple pressing operation in a press, the labor required isreduced to a minimum, the manufacture of the completed handle andconnector is greatly facilitated, without requiring employment of anyadditional part, and the cost of production is reduced.

I claim:

A connector for securing a cleaning implement to a handle, comprising abody member having means for attaching it to the implement, and having ashank of substantially semi-cylindrical semi-tubular uniformcross-section from the body member to its extremity, and a substantiallycylindrical tubular handle into an end of which the semi-cylindricalsemi-tubular shank of said member extends, the outer convex side of theshank fitting against the inner side of one wall of said end of thehandle, and the other wall of said end of the handle being bowedinwardly into the inner concave side of the shank on a curvature theaxis of which is inclined to the axis of the handle and embracing andfrictionally gripping the shank between the opposite walls of said endof the handle.

GLENN GEORGE GREENE, J :1.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,625,266 Mast Apr. 19, 1927 1,684,379 Anderson Sept. 18, 19281,692,110 Cave et a1. Nov. 2 1928 2,109,837 Davis Mar. 1, 1938 2,286,387Smith June 1 1942 2,610,902 Bagley, Jr. Sept. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 311,180 Great Britain May 9, 1929 490,152 GreatBritain Aug. 10, 1938

